In filmmaking marketing, Instagram is one of the most important social media platforms. It allows filmmakers to reach millions of people with just one click – but how do you make sure that your film gets noticed? Well, here are 10 tips on how to use Instagram for filmmakers!
Follow other accounts in your niche, or related to the topic of your film.
This will help you to find potential customers and fans. Is your film an indie horror? Why not try following accounts that post horror films. For example you can use hashtags like #horrorr or #indiehorrofilm to make it easier for people who are interested in the same genre of filmmaking as you
Comment and like photos from other users who have followed you back .
This is a very powerful way of “paying it forward”. Just be sure to comment on photos that are relevant and posts which resonate with you. You don’t want to spam someone’s feed, just like every single post they put up!
Like other people’s images in your niche or related topics – do not copy paste captions!
Include your film title as a hashtag in all of your posts to form a branded film hashtag
Stay on top of your hashtag game!
Hashtag tags are popular online and in social media. They are a great way to keep track of all the content you post, as well as find new people who might enjoy what you have to offer or want to promote their own work with similar interests.
Instagram has millions of users, so by tagging posts that relate your film, it can help gain more exposure for your filmmaking skills.
Always include #yourfilmtitle in every post in order to build hype. Whenever someone looks up that hashtag, all of your posts will appear – this is great for brand awareness!
Some examples of other hashtags one could use include #horrorr or #indiehorrofilm if they make films specifically about horror movies. Someone else may prefer something like #filmmakingtips if they cover filmmaking tips and tricks on Instagram. The main thing is being creative when coming up with your hashtags. It is a good idea to mix up at least five different hashtags in each post so that people have some variety when viewing your content. For example: #filmtitle, #filmmaking #behindthescenes #actorlife #filmgenre
Connect with other filmmakers on Instagram by following their accounts and commenting on their photos.
Connecting with other filmmakers is important for building your network in person and online. Send them private messages if they don’t respond – most of the time it’s just because they’re busy working away at the editing suite!
You can also use a platform like Instafollow to help you find and follow back other filmmakers.
Create a plan for posting
Decide what type of content to post (videos vs pictures) when you want to post it, how many times per day you want to post it, etc.
Following a proper plan will help you stay on top of your online marketing.
Know your audience and what type of content they like to see
This can be as simple as scrolling through other Instagram accounts related to filmmaking, or following hashtags that are popular in the filmmaking industry.
Post your film’s trailer on Instagram as well! You could even post the full-length version of your movie if it is just too long for a quick, short video clip. Your followers will appreciate being able to watch something
Include photos from filming, behind-the-scenes shots, and stills from the trailer
Be creative with the type of content you post on your Instagram account. If you’re constantly selling your film, your audience may lose interest. Instead, try posting a couple of photos about filmmaking, or a behind-the-scenes shot for your next Instagram account.
It’s okay to post promotional content on your Instagram profile too! But be sure that you don’t overdo it and annoy people with constant self-promotional posts. Instead, try posting one or two promotions per month – just enough to keep followers interested in the latest updates from you but not so much as they feel like they’re being spammed by advertisements. Offer discounts occasionally; give away free tickets/downloads every now and then to encourage followers who are interested but can’t afford them at the moment.
Engage your followers
Engage with followers by liking their posts, commenting on them, or even sending them a direct message asking what they thought about your film. Share their posts if you enjoyed them.
Eventually, your followers will reciprocate and interact with yours in a cycle of mutual liking and commenting that can give your feed some life outside of the promotional content.
Follow influencers and film distributors
Find and follow other filmmaking accounts on Instagram, as well as the account of your film distributor. When you post a new photo or video clip from your project, tag them so they can like and comment for promotion purposes.
Look at what’s trending in filmmaking
Be aware of what is going viral within the filmmaking community to see if there are any trends that could be applied to promote your work. For example, one popular hashtag/meme right now seems to be #FilmmakerProblems which allows people who face similar challenges (such as not having enough budget for a dream shot) feel less alone while also providing an easy way for others to reach out with support; it might make sense to use this hashtag when promoting your narrative films.
Keep your content fresh
One final tip is to keep your content fresh. It might be tempting to throw in a bunch of pictures from the same event or shoot, but it’s important that you’re also sharing photos with people who haven’t seen them before and are likely more engaged because they don’t know what will come next. Experiment with different themes for each post—perhaps one day you’ll share filmmaking-related quotes about filmmaking, another time could be highlighting talented crew members on your team, then maybe doing a photo essay series on the making of an individual scene. The possibilities are endless! Finally: outside promotion is key to success as well; make sure you have social media handles displayed at any screenings where possible so viewers can follow along on their own devices